Trust the Japanese to do it in style! Railway firm JR East had tied up with Ferrari designer Ken Okuyama to come up with an uber luxurious train, pitched as a five-star hotel on wheels. The Cruise Train, the result of this collaboration, will only be rolled out in 2017. here’s a look the best known luxury train services out there.
The Blue Train
When the windows are tinted with gold, the suites fully carpeted and sound-proofed, with private bathrooms complete with bathtub, and the vistas rolling by the best that the South African countryside has to offer, “luxury” seems too superficial a word to describe the experience on board the Blue Train. Booking a luxury suite (single) on the Blue Train’s Pretoria-Cape Town route costs about 26,240 South African Rand (that’s about Rs 1,48,000) during the peak tourist season (September-November). Incidentally, the Blue Train has also had an Agatha Christie mystery set in it.
The Eastern and Oriental Express
Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand are popular destinations Indian travellers. But seeing these places while on a journey with the Eastern and Oriental Express promises to alter your perception altogether. For about £2,340 (in the vicinity of Rs 2,40,000), this luxury train offers also offers you a boutique and a reading room. Here too, a steward is available to attend to your cabin — which could range from a Presidential suite or a Pullman or State compartment. The duration of the journey that takes you along the River Kwai alone, is well worth the price of the ticket.
Royal Rajasthan on Wheels
You can never run short of luxury train travel options if you’re looking to have a domestic journey. From the Maharaja Express (upwards of $3,800), Golden Chariot ($3,000 plus) Palace on Wheels ($2,700 upwards) and the Deccan Odyssey ($1,000 and above), there as many tours and itineraries to choose from as there are trains. But the Royal Rajasthan on Rails is the most expensive of them all. With prices starting upwards of $4,000 (that’s about Rs 2,40,000 for the weeklong journey per person on a twin-sharing basis), the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels’ interiors seem to resemble those of the ornate palaces you may pass during the tour. The cabins make generous use of rich brocade, the fine dining options (Sheesh Mahal and Swarn Mahal) offer only the most delectable of cuisines, the best liquor is stocked on board, and if you’re suffering from a certain ennui or travel fatigue, the spa has enough wellness solutions to overcome them.
Truly Princely!
The Royal Scotsman
This tour of the Scottish Highlands doesn’t come cheap — even by luxury train standards. For two people, the price for a four-night itinerary that starts from Edinburgh comes to a steep £4,330 (that’s roughly '4,45,000)! If you settle for the two-night itinerary, than you’ll have to fork out upwards of £2,300 pounds ('2,40,000 plus) — which is still pretty expensive. But all that money certainly assures you of a luxurious journey: The train stops every night at a siding or station so your rest isn’t disturbed, the temperature of your private “stateroom” can be controlled by you and an open observation carriage lets you take in the Scottish scenery.
